Bolt action rifle barrel construction



1, 5 L. ELKAS 3,203,129

BOLT ACTION RIFLE BARREL CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR.

L OU/S EL KAS BY MW -7144 Aug. 31, 1965 ELKAS 3,2

BOLT ACTION RIFLE BARREL CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet2 WI ulllgm v w m' M INVENTOR.

LOU/5 ELKAS BY WW 4-772? United States Patent 3,203,129 BttlLT A'CTTUNRTFLE BARREL (JUNSTRUETTSN Louis Eilras, Agawam, Mass, assignor tolErnhart 't'lorporation, a corporation of 'tjonnecticut Filed Nov. 1'9,1963, Ser. No. 324,670 4 Qlaims. ttCl. l27e) This invent-ion relates tobolt action rides and more particularly to barrel construction for suchrifles.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a barrelconstruction for bolt action rifles which may be produced by simplifiedand economical manufacturing techniques Without impairment or" theoperational characteristics of the rifle.

The objective of this invention is achieved by extending the barrelbeyond the breech, thus providing a single unit which acts as a riflebarrel and a member for locking and guiding the front end of the boltthrough its full travel. In this Way all the requisite machiningoperations, required for accurate and safe bolt lock-up and firing pinoperation, may be accomplished on a unitary component. The othercomponents which make up rifles embodying this invention may be made byless expensive techniques, as die-casting, since they do not function inconnection with guiding and locking the bolt.

The above and other related objects and features of this invention willbe apparent from the following description with reference to thedrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevation, partially in section, of a rifle embodyinthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view corresponding to H6.

FIG. 3 is a section taken generally on line llllll in FIG. 2 with thebolt moved to its locked position;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 1VIV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the breech end of the barreland the bolt; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the boltassembly.

The present invention is embodied in a rifle comprising a barrel Ill, astock s, a housing 12, which contains the firing mechanism, and areceiver 14. The housing 12 and receiver are held together by screw to,17 and receive a barrel extension ill, FIG. 5, which extends rearwardlyof the cartridge chamber 13 and serves as a slide or receiver for thebolt 26.

The forward end of the receiver 14 comprises an nular section 13 whichmore or less snugly receives the barrel. A screw 2d extends through thehousing 12 for holding the barrel firmly in the receiver The screw 17extends into a recess in the barrel to position it longitudinally andangularly relative to the housings l2 and 14. The receiver 14 isprovided with a loading and ejection port 15. A slot 19 is provided toaccommodate sliding and rotating movement of the bolt. A depending Wall21 serves as the bolt stop. The firing mechanism and barrel assembly aresecured to the stock 5 by a screw 24 threaded into the same hole as thescrew 2d.

The bolt 2-6 is reciprocably and rotatably disposed in barrel extensioniii. The barrel extension has a bore 27 of sufficient diameter toaccommodate the bolt and is larger than the rifled bore of the barrel toprovide a breech against which the bolt holds a cartridge rim 29 (FIG.3) when the chamber 13 is closed. The barrel extension is of sufficientlength to guide movement of the bolt throughout the length of itsstroke. The bore 27 includes a longitudinal slot 23 which extendsthrough the wall of the bore and from the rear end of the barrelextension to a point adjacent the rifle chamber 13. A lock lug receivingslot 3d communicates with and extends upwardly from the longitudinalslot 23. Diametrically opposite the slot 23, is another longitudinalslot 32 provided to accommodate the cartridge extractor. The barrelextension 11 is also provided with an opening or port 34 Which isregistered with port 15 in the receiver 14, for the loading and ejectionof cartridges from the barrel extension ill. At its forward end,extractor slot 32 terminates in a cam surface 35 (FIGS. 2 and 3) whichserves to defiect the extractor 36 outwardly to provide for completeclosure of the firing chamber 13 by the bolt.

T he outer end surface of the barrel extension 11 is provided with arecess 38 to accommodate the forward movement of the firing pin dd asWill be hereinafter explained. Cam surface 39 (P16. 5) is also providedto cam the firing pin rearwardiy when the firing chamber of the rifie isunlocked, in this way insuring against accidental discharge of the rifleby action of the firing pin when the bolt is not fully locked.

The bolt 26 comprises an operating lever dll for rotating and slidingthe bolt in the barrel extension lll. At its forward end the bolt isprovided with a radially extending loci; lug 42 which is slidablyreceived in the longitudinal slot 23 of the barrel extension. When thebolt is rotated to its locked position lug 4-2 is rotated into the slot36). Rearwardly of the lock log 42 is the extractor band shown generallyat 36 (FIG. 5). The extractor is a resilient sheet metal member of onepiece construction which is rotatably carried in a groove or recess 56provided in the body of the bolt.

The extractor 36 includes cartridge case engaging claw 48 formed at itsforward end. The claw extends inwardly from a forward end of an arm $0which extends from a clamp having opposed U-shaped portions 5?; and 56separated by a cylindrical portion 54 disposed in the bolt recess 46.Arm 5'6 extends rearwardly of recess 46 and engages the body of the boltto urge claw 38 inwardly of the forward face or" the bolt. The U-shapedportion 556 serves as a lug, which is received in the slot 28 of thebarrel extension ll, to hold the extractor in fixed angular position inthe bore 2? of the barrel extension when the bolt is rotated. The firingpin is carried by the bolt 26 in a slot 53 which extends longitudinallyof the bolt. Cartridge ejector pin extends from the base of the body ofthe bolt 26. The inner end of the pin 55' is seated against a coilspring 57 so that the ejector pin is spring loaded and functions withthe extractor 36 to eject expended cartridges from the barrel extensionlllt through the port 34.

The firing pin 40, best shown in FIG. 6 is of one piece constructionslidable longitudinally in the slot 53. It is held in place Within theslot by means of projections 57. The after end portion of the firing pinis of sufficient width w whereby a shoulder 59 is provided to engage thebreech end face of the barrel extension limiting the forward movement ofthe firing pin when the rifle is fired. The extent of protrusion of thefiring pin from the bolt is a function of the length of the bolt, thelength of the firing pin forwardly of the shoulder 59, and the depth ofthe machined recess 33. It will thus be realized that the firing pinprotrusion can be accurately controlled during production of the barrelby control of the depth of the recess 38.

Recess 33 is located on the end face of the barrel extension Ill so thatthe firim pin can protrude from the bolt only when the bolt is in itslocked position. Whenever the bolt is out of the locked position, thefiring pin carried thereby will not be aligned with recess 33. Thismeans that a round in the chamber cannot be fired unless the bolt islocked.

The rifle embodying this invention includes a firing mechanism (FIG. 2)which comprises a trigger 60, sear 62, spring 63, and hammer 64 mountedin the housing 12 which also may have a trigger guard 66 formedintegrally therewith. These components function to cause the hammer toforcibly strike the rear end 67 of the firing pin iii when the triggeris pulled. When the bolt 26 is retracted, it engages the hammer 64causing the firing mechanism to be cocked as shown in FIG. 2. The firingmechanism is the same as disclosed in copending application Serial No.309,991 to which reference may be had if further details are desired.

In operation, with the bolt 26 retracted a cartridge is loaded into thereceiver through ports and 34 in the barrel It and receiver 14. The bolt26 is then slid forward to ram the cartridge into the cartridge chamber13. As this is done, the extractor claw 4-8 is cammed outwardly by camsurface 35. The bolt operating lever il is then swung downward to lockup the bolt 26 in its firing position with the lug 42 positioned in theslot 30.

As the bolt is rotated the extractor 36 is held in a fixed angularposition with the lug portion 56 extending into slot 28. When thetrigger is pulled the sear 62 releases the spring loaded hammer 64-which strikes the rear end 67 of the firing pin 40, driving it forward.The shoulder 59 is received in recess 38 so that the firing pin strikesthe cartridge in the chamber 13 firing the round.

After firing, the bolt handle 4-1 is rotated upward and the firing pinis cammed rearwardly by the cam surface 39 on the rear face of theextension 11. Simultaneously, the lock lug 42 is swung clear of slot andinto alignment with longitudinal slot 28, enabling retraction of thebolt. The extractor claw 48 is retracted from cam surface and claw 48picks up the rim 29 (FIG. 3) of the cartridge case disposed in thechamber.

The cartridge case is thus withdrawn from the chamber and ejectedthrough the ejection ports 15 and 34- by the ejector pin 55'. Continuedretraction of the bolt recocks the firing mechanism for the next firingcycle.

The various elements herein described contribute to a rifle constructionwhich is economical to manufacture but without diminution inperformance. By providing means for mounting the bolt directly in thebarrel extension integrally formed with the barrel i0 and providing inthe extension means for guiding and locking the bolt and controlling thefiring pin action, a separate barrel extension type component iseliminated. The extractor means are simple parts requiring but a minimumexpense for manufacture and assembly. In this way the critical tolerances for proper bolt lockup, firing pin protrusion and safety aretaken care of in the same component. This obviates the necessity ofaccurate assembly of a plurality of separate components each having beenindividually machined for accurate operation.

The present disclosure is for illustrative purposes and variousmodifications will come within the scope of the present invention whichis to be derived from the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Bolt action rifle construction comprising a barrel having a rifledbore terminating in a cartridge chamber, and a barrel extension integraltherewith and having a bore of larger diameter than said chamberextending rcarwardly of said chamber, an access opening through the wallof said barrel extension for insertion and ejection of cartridgestherefrom, a top housing overlying the extension of said barrel andhaving an annular portion telescoped about said barrel, a triggerhousing underlying said top housing and said barrel extension, saidtrigger housing having a firing mechanism mounted thereon and beingsecured to said top housing, and means for securing said barrel in fixedlongitudinal and angular relation to said housings, a bolt slidable androtatable in the receiver barrel extension, said top housing furtherhaving an opening aligned with said access opening for the insertion anddischarge of cartridges from said extension, said barrel extensionhaving a longitudinal slot formed therein and a transverse slotconnecting therewith adjacent the breech end of the rifled bore, saidbolt hav ing a lock lug projecting radially therefrom and slidable insaid longitudinal slot and said transverse slot to lock and bolt, and afiring pin slidable on said bolt, said firing pin being cngageable withthe rear end face of said barrel extension, said face having a camsurface for retracting the firing pin in response to rotation of thebolt from its locking position.

2. Bolt action rifle comprising a barrel, a bolt slidable and rotatablymounted in the rear end of said barrel for movement between a loadingposition and a firing position, said barrel having an opening permittinginsertion of a cartridge in advance of the bolt, and also permittingdischarge of a cartridge from the barrel when the bolt is in its loadingposition, said barrel having a longitudinal slot formed therein and atransverse slot connecting therewith at the forward end thereof, saidbolt having a lug projecting laterally therefrom and slidable in saidlongitudinal slot and received by said transverse slot upon rotation ofsaid bolt to lock same in its firing position, said bolt having acircumferential groove adjacent its forward end and to the rear of saidlug and an extractor claw formed of resilient sheet metal and comprisinga band portion rotatably received by said groove, said band portionhaving an outwardly projecting U-shaped lug received by the longitudinalslot in said barrel and an outwardly projecting U-shaped bridge oppositesaid U-shaped lug, a rearwardly extending arm projecting from saidbridge and engageable with said bolt, :1 forwardly extending armprojecting from said bridge and having inturned fingers disposed inspaced relation from the front face of the bolt for gripping the rim ofa cartridge as the bolt is retracted from its firing position, saidbarrel having an inclined camming surface at the forward end of saidaccess opening which is engaged by said fingers as the bolt is moved toits firing position and a spring operated ejector pin projecting fromthe front face of the bolt to ilip a cartridge over said extractorfingers upon retraction of the bolt sufficiently toward its loadingposition for the cartridge to be discharged through said access opening.

3. A rifle construction comprising a barrel, a bolt movable relative tothe barrel between a loading position and a firing position, said boltbeing rotated relative to the barrel to lock it in its firing position,said barrel having a firing chamber into which a cartridge is rammed asthe bolt is moved to its firing position, an extractor claw rotatablymounted on said bolt and having a forwardly projecting yieldable armwith inturned fingers for engaging the rim of the cartridge andextracting it from the firing chamber, a relatively fixed surface forcamming said arm away from said cartridge, said surface being disposedwithin the outline of said cartridge rhn so that said fingers willengage the rim and extract the cartridge from the firing chamber whenthe bolt is moved toward its loading position, and a spring loaded pinprojecting from the front face of the bolt to flip the cartridge oversaid fingers and discharge it from the rifle as the bolt is moved to itsloading position.

4. Bolt action rifle comprising a bolt having a radially extending locklug adjacent its forward end, a firing pin slidable longitudinally onsaid bolt and having a shoulder adjacent its outer end, an integralbarrel having a rifled bore, a second bore extending from said rifledbore and of larger diameter than the first named bore, the second borehaving a lock lug receiving slot for holding the bolt in breech lockingposition, the end Wall of said second bore having a recess to receivethe shoulder of said firing pin when the bolt is locked and a camsurface for retracting said firing pin to a safe position Whenever thebolt lock lug is not in said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Mcsle 4216Wisewell 4217 Stergianopulos 42-l9 Febiger 89188 X Crittendon et al 4275X Heilrnan 4216 Robinson 4216 X BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

4. BOLT ACTION FIFLE COMPRISING A BOLT HAVING A RADIALLY EXTENDING LOCKLUG ADJACENT ITS FORWARD END, A FIRING PIN SLIDABLE LONGITUDINALLY ONSAID BOLT HAVING A SHOULDER ADJACENT ITS OUTER END, AN INTERGRAL BARRLEHAVING A RIFLED BORE, A SECOND BORE EXTENDING FROM SAID RIFLED BORE ANDOF LARGER DIAMETER THAN THE FIRST NAMED BORE, THE SECOND BORE HAVING ALOCK LUG RECEIVING SLOT FOR HOLDING THE BOLT IN BREECH LOCKING POSITION,THE END WALL OF SAID SECOND BORE HAVE A RECESS TO RECEIVE THE SHOULDEROF SAID FIRING PIN